That's very sad news. I have known Roger since he came to Holme on Spalding Moor with the 'Green Hunter' in the early 1980's. It is only a few weeks ago ago that we were corresponding about our experiences with the PC9 and an interesting hot weather trial we did together at Ouarzazarte in Morocco. He was definitely a good man to have on your side in an argument and a pretty daunting opponent if he disagreed with you. I can remember a meeting we had to discuss the operation of the braking systems in the Hawk and the flight reference card recommendations, one of which was to turn off anti skid when taxying at low speed. The reasons for this instruction were lost in the early days of RAF operation of the Hawk but Roger's opinion was as usual strongly expressed. 'I don't have to turn the anti skid system off in my car when I drive it into the garage so why should I turn it off in the aircraft when I taxi it on the apron.'
Roger had been compiling a collection of stories from his long and varied flying career and he recently sent me some of the ones related to his experiences with the PC9. They were very well written, interesting and amusing. Aviation has lost one of its most interesting characters who had pretty firm opinions on many topics, particularly if they were relevant to an aircraft he was about to fly. His views on the flight of the last Buccaneer to be delivered to the RAF after major servicing at Woodford were particularly forthright. My sincerest condolences and sympathy to his family.
Walbut